Didn't ask to place names of Zardari, Faryal on ECL: CJP

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday remarked that he did not ask to place names of former President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur on the exit control list (ECL). Two member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, adjourned hearing of the fake bank accounts case till July 30. The court observed that it wants the elections to be fair and transparent and therefore, the case would be heard after elections. During the hearing of case, the chief justice remarked that it did not ask to place names of former Zardari and Faryal Talpur on the ECL. He also said that the court asked that names of the accused nominated in the case should be placed on ECL. However, the CJP rejected the request of Zardari's lawyer about changing the head of investigation team. He remarked that the court wanted impartial investigations of the case. The SC also ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) not to summon Zardari and his sister in the Rs35 billion money-laundering probe involving fake bank accounts. He then inquired from the attorney general that if its order doesn't mention Zardari's placement on the ECL, how such reports were aired in the media. The two-member bench also wondered that since Zardari is just a suspect, how could he be placed on the ECL. Nisar remarked that it will direct the FIA not to display bias against anyone during the investigation. Earlier, Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur had submitted their reply in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after failing to appear in the money laundering case.